Continuing the momentum after the December 1, 2014, Kasalpar [Sukma] attack on Security Forces (SFs), in which 14 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including two officers, were killed, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres killed at least seven civilians in six incidents, and 10 SF personnel in nine incidents, while losing just three cadres in two incidents, as of February 25, 2015, in Chhattisgarh. Interestingly, there has not been a single major incident [resulting in a total of three or more casualties] in this period, indicating that the Maoists are going about their business steadily, without drawing much attention to themselves.

On January 1, 2015, Maoists killed a top surrendered Maoist, Korsa Jagaram aka Shivaji, in Kottapal village, Bijapur District. Shivaji, a native of Silger in Sukma, was a member of the West Bastar Division Committee of the CPI-Maoist and carried a reward of INR 900,000 before his surrender. He was recruited as a Gopniya Sainik (secret informer) by the Bijapur Police after his surrender. Due to his involvement in several prominent attacks on the security forces and proximity to top Maoists, he was a major intelligence source for the Police. “His death is a major loss for us,” an unnamed officer conceded.

Further, in what appeared to be a planted intelligence trap, the Maoists ambushed a joint party of the District Police and Border Security Force (BSF) near the Bande area of Kanker District on February 2, 2015, killing Bande Station House Officer (SHO) Avinash Sharma and Gopniya Sainik (secret agent) Sonu Ram Gawde, while injuring another six SF personnel — three each from the Police and BSF. While all the personnel were on motorcycles, at least Sharma and Gawde were in formals rather than fatigues, indicating that they were not expecting an armed engagement at all. The incident assumed significance as Kanker had not reported the death of any SF personnel in Maoist attacks through 2014.

According to partial data compiled by South Asia Terrorism Portal, Chhattisgarh regained the dubious distinction of recording the highest fatalities in LWE-related violence in India in 2014, with a total of 113 killed, including 25 civilians 55 SF personnel and 33 Maoists. In 2013, 128 fatalities had been recorded in the State, including 48 civilians 45 SF personnel and 35 Maoists. The trends indicate a decrease in civilian and an increase in SF fatalities, with Maoist casualties decreasing only marginally in 2014, as against 2013. Data released by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) confirms, to be uploaded in SATP] these trends, recording 146 total fatalities, including 52 civilians 59 SF personnel and 35 Maoists, in 2014; in comparison to 149 fatalities, including 67 civilians 44 SF personnel and 38 Maoists, in 2013.

Significantly, the number of SF personnel killed in Chhattisgarh is disproportionately high, in comparison to other Maoist-affected States. According to SATP data, in 2014 Chhattisgarh alone accounted for 55 SF fatalities, out of a total of 87 in all States. In 2013, Chhattisgarh accounted for a much lower 45 out of 111 SF fatalities in all States, with Jharkhand and Bihar accounting for 26 and 25 fatalities, respectively. The SF to Maoist fatality ratio is also exceptionally adverse and worsening, at 1.7:1 in 2014, as against 1.29:1 in 2013.

It is clear that Chhattisgarh remains the nerve centre of Maoist movement and functions as the locus of their ‘tactical counter offensive’ campaigns. District-level fatalities data further indicates that almost all fatalities in Chhattisgarh have been restricted to the Bastar Division - comprising Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Bastar, Kondagaon, Narayanpur and Kanker Districts. The only exception is Rajnandgaon District (two fatalities), which shares its border with Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

Chhattisgarh recorded 11 major incidents through 2014, in which SFs suffered principal losses in five; the Maoists suffered principal losses in another five; while civilians (polling officials) bore the brunt in one incident when Maoists mistook them for SF personnel. The Maoists lost 15 cadres in these incidents, while SFs lost 43 personnel, indicating that the Maoist retaliation was much stronger. It is clear, moreover, that despite assessments of significant weakening of the rebel Forces and leadership – judgments that have been confirmed by internal appraisals by the Maoists -, the Maoists still retain sufficient residual strength to sustain their counter-offensive.

While Maoist-Police encounters as well as attacks on the Police have increased in frequency, a range of other parameters remain more or less comparable over 2013-2014. Significantly, the number of surrenders of Maoist cadres has also risen sharply.

Other Parameters of LWE/CPI-Maoist Violence in Chhattisgarh: 2011-2014

Parameters

2011

2012

2013

2014

No. of incidents

465

369

353

328

Police Informers' Killed (Out of total civilians killed)

91

35

31

24

No. of encounters with police

99

88

92

103

No. of attacks on police (including landmines)

75

77

102

109

No. of Naxalites arrested

509

397

387

686

No. of Naxalites surrendered

20

26

28

413

Total no. of arms snatched

29

17

29

45

Total no. of arms recovered

108

91

155

124

Arms training camps held

24

24

14

15

No of Jan Adalats held

13

14

7

6

Source: UMHA

SFs have made several significant arrests, including Raghunath Yadav, an active member of Military Company Number-6, carrying reward money of INR 800,000; a Maoist couple - Sanjeev Himchi akaSanju aka Nagesh (26) and his wife Navotin Himachi aka Santila, with reward money of INR 800,000 and INR 300,000, respectively; Manku, with a reward money of INR 800,000; Jairam, a member of the Kiskodo Area Committee, arrested with an AK-47 in Kanker District; Jyoti, a woman Maoist ‘deputy commander’ belonging to the Basur ‘area committee’, with a reward of INR 300,000; and Ayutu (27) a 'deputy commander', carrying a reward of INR 300,000.

Similarly, there have been important surrenders in the State as well, within the context of a wider wave of surrenders. There have, however, been some apprehensions regarding the quality of surrenders, with allegations that the overwhelming numbers are comprised of sympathisers or others only peripherally connected – in some cases allegedly unconnected – with the Maoists. These apprehensions notwithstanding, the surrenders include high profile Maoists including Chambala Ravinder aka Arjun, reportedly the 'commander' of the '2nd Battalion' of the People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), suggesting a measure of discontent within the rebel leadership.

Despite the erosion in popular support, the Maoists continue to exercise considerable ‘power’ in the Bastar region. Thus, on January 9, 2015, some 130 Sarpanch (elected heads of village self-government bodies) candidates were herded by Maoists into the core forest area near the Gonguda Hill range in Sukma District with the assurance that they would be released after a meeting with senior Maoists. The candidates were held hostage till January 15, when CPI-Maoist 'divisional committee' member Jaggu, along with Kerlapal 'area committee 'commander' Bhime aka Reena, and armed cadres, finally reached there to warn them against participating in the elections.

In the Panchayat elections eventually held in four phases between January 28, 2015 and February 10, 2015, of 22,416 panches (village representatives)elected in the seven Districts of the Bastar Division, nearly 50 per cent, or 11,098 candidates, won unopposed, presumably as a result of pressure from the Maoists on other candidates not to contest. 212 sarpanchs also won unopposed. At least 90 per cent of these, the Chhattisgarh Police claimed, either had links with the Maoists or were supported by them. The maximum presence of Maoist-backed representatives was in the Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma Districts of Bastar Division, where, out of a total 6,963 panches, 5,186 (75 per cent) won unopposed. Of 1,107 panches in Narayanpur, 938 were elected unopposed. Of 2,169 panches in Bijapur, 1,785 were elected unopposed, while 1,335 of 1,709 panches in Dantewada, and 1,128 of 1,978 panches in Sukma won unopposed. With various Government schemes worth at least INR10 billion annually, implemented through the panchayats, preventing leakages to the Maoists will be an uphill task, as hardly any officer is likely to visit interior areas to audit the actual implementation of works and expenditure. An officer who has worked in the area commented: “Collectors are strictly asked to not travel beyond a point. Who will monitor the schemes? We have to rely on these panch only.” Ironically, according to media reports, Dantewada District won the award for best implementation of MNREGA, when the panchayat polls were on.

The response from the political establishment to the Maoist insurgency has failed to go beyond posturing and rhetoric. Even as Maoists killed a Special Task Force trooper in the Gadiras area and a secret police agent in Konta town, both of Sukma District], and derailed a goods train engine at the Kamalur Station in Dantewada District on February 19, 2015, Chief Minister Raman Singh tweeted, “Our gallant police jawans (troopers) and their sacrifices have brought us closer to the end of Naxalism.”

In a candid interview, Dilip Trivedi, the outgoing Director General of the CRPF, observed, on November 27, 2014, "For some States, continuing Naxal violence is beneficial. It helps them get central funds. And then it's not their men who die but those from outside the State (central force personnel)." Sources indicate that Trivedi was pointing to Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. It remains the case that, despite the training of over 22,000 Chhattisgarh Police personnel at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare College at Kanker, the overwhelming proportion of the anti-Maoist fighting continues to be done by Central Forces, whose total deployment in Chhattisgarh amounts to some 31 Battalions, with each battalion yielding approximately 400 personnel on the ground - that is, barely 12,400 Central Paramilitary Force (CPMF) personnel. The highly affected Bastar Division alone covers nearly 40,000 square kilometres.

A political establishment that is in power in the Chhattisgarh for the third consecutive term still leaves too much to be desired even in terms of basic governance. The condition in Maoist-affected areas remains distressing. According to media reports, data provided by Sukma, Bijapur and Dantewada Districts to UMHA indicates that these three Districts have only 44 bank and regional rural bank branches, in total. Sukma and Bijapur have just 10 ATMs. Sukma, 13 mobile towers out of 32 are non-functional. It has only four sub-post offices and all 61 branch post offices are non-functional. Bijapur has five sub-post offices and 53 branch post offices but only two of these are functional. Dantewada has six sub post offices and 59 branch post offices, of which nine don’t have a single employee, and a total of 50 per cent of all posts are lying vacant. In Bijapur, 14 mobile towers are functional but another 14 sanctioned towers are yet to be installed. In Dantewada, three of 20 mobile towers are non-functional. Governance in Sukma and Bijapur continues to be rudimentary, at best.

The Maoist movement has lost vigour in many other States, and has suffered significant reverses in Chhattisgarh as well. However, the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh remains the nerve centre of the Maoist counter offensive. The Maoists continue to use their depleted manpower and resources with a high measure of ingenuity, even as the state’s responses continue to display a lack of coherence and focus.

There is no dearth of evidence to show that determined efforts have succeeded in defeating the Maoists in other theatres and at other times in the history of the movement. India has had several counter-insurgency successes, and after the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government came to power at the Centre, there has been some talk about using the experience and successful counter-insurgency strategies employed in Punjab, Tripura and Andhra Pradesh, to fight the Maoists. Unfortunately, little of this has actually translated into any strategic shift on the ground.

Nevertheless, the Centre has shown its willingness to send more troops into Bastar, and the long-delayed establishment of a base for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations in Bhilai has now been pushed forward, and a UAV made its first test-reconnaissance from the airstrip in the Bhilai Steel Plant campus on February 27, 2015. The UAV is likely to be connected with certain Strategic locations within months for live inputs.

Increasing pressure from the Centre has, in the past, tended to act overwhelmingly on the Central Forces and organisations engaged in anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, at least on occasion, with unfortunate consequences. Unless the State Police, with its critical asset of local manpower, takes on its necessary responsibilities in the counter-insurgency operations in the State, successes will remain fitful, and the Maoist potential for resurgence intact.

Two troopers of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) - Constable Gulab Yadav and Constable Narottam Das – were killed and another 12 were injured when Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres blew up a mini-bus carrying personnel near Nandai on the Imamganj - Dumaria route in Gaya District on February 24, 2015. The unit also came under fire from the Maoists after the improvised explosive device (IED) blast. According to Police sources, there was ‘heavy force mobilization’ in the area in the wake of an encounter in the vicinity a day earlier. The site of the explosion was part of an area believed to be safe, with regular traffic flows, and was not, prima faciein the ‘vulnerable’ category, which is why the COBRA unit took the liberty of travelling in a mini bus. A measure of complacency may also have crept in because of the decline in Maoist violence in the State in 2014.

According to the partial data compiled by South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), Bihar recorded 17 fatalities in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) related incidents in 2014, including seven civilians, seven Security Force (SF) personnel and three Maoists; these numbers represented a sharp drop from the 48 fatalities in 2013, including 21 civilians, 25 SF personnel and two Maoists. Indeed, on January 9, 2015, Bihar Police claimed that it had successfully contained LWE in the State, with the arrest of a number of Maoists and the recovery of explosives. According to figures released by Bihar Police Headquarters, though there were 105 incidents of Maoist violence in 2014, as against 103 in 2013, only 20 civilians were killed in 2014, against 36 in 2013. The number of Police killed also saw a sharp drop, to six in 2014, from 25 in 2013. [Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) data indicates that the number of civilians killed by Maoists in 2014 in Bihar was 26]. Maoists were also able to drastically reduce their own casualties in the State over 2013 and 2014, suggesting that the decline in Maoist violence may not entirely have been enforced by state, and could represent a choice by the Maoists to observe strategic silence. The February 24, 2015, explosion in Gaya is a reminder that Maoist strike capabilities are intact.

Bihar recorded one major incident (resulting in three or more fatalities) in 2014, in comparison to five such incidents in 2013. Three SFs were killed and another eight were injured under the Dhibra Police Station limits in Aurangabad District on April 7, 2014, while diffusing an IED.

The Maoists engaged in six encounters, 11 arson incidents, three attacks involving their Peoples Militia, and three recorded incidents of abduction in 2014. Crucially, as in 2013, Gaya, Aurangabad and Jamui saw the maximum number of violent incidents. The Maoists were also involved in several act of violence during the 16th Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) election. On March 27, 2014, for instance, about 100 Maoist cadres blew up two mobile towers, exploding powerful bombs at Manjhauli and Dumaria Bazar villages of Gaya District, ahead of then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Prime Ministerial Candidate Narendra Modi's election rallies. Further on April 5, 2014, the Maoists ordered the closure of Janata Dal-United and BJP election offices at the Dumaria Block Headquarters in Gaya District. However, despite these actions, threats, and calls for election boycott, the voter turn-out in Bihar during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, at 56.28 per cent, was 11.82 per cent higher than the 2009 elections (44.46 per cent).

Huge amounts of arms and ammunition were recovered from 10 Districts of the State in 2014, particularly from Rohtas and Munger. East Champaran (21), Munger (25), Patna (6) and Muzaffarpur (31) recorded the maximum number of arrests, 83, out of a total of 164 arrests in the State in 2014, as compared to 110 in 2013. Among those arrested in 2014 were Azad Paswan, ‘secretary’ of the Sone Vindhyanchal Zonal Committee; Sunil Kumar aka Shambhuji aka Lambuji, a member of the ‘special area committee’; five ‘commanders’, one ‘central zonal area commander’, two ‘zonal commanders,’ two ‘sub-zonal commanders’ and five ‘area commanders.’

Maoist-related incidents (both violent and non-violent) were reported from 21 Districts, out of a total of 38 Districts in Bihar. On the basis of underground and over ground activities, three Districts - Aurangabad, Gaya, and Jamui – were categorized as highly affected in 2014; another three - Rohtas, Muzaffarpur and Munger – were moderately affected; while fifteen Districts - East Champaran, Patna, Arwal, Banka, Nawada, Kaimur, Lakhisarai, Jehanabad, Sheohar, Buxar, Vaishali, Saran, Khagaria, Bhojpur, Begusarai – remained marginally affected.

Under pressure of a rapidly changing situation, the Maoists claimed to have introduced ‘structural changes’ in their organization, introducing a ‘new committee’ with a focus on the Jharkhand-Bihar region, dismantling the existing Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee (BJSAC). The newly constituted East Bihar Eastern Jharkhand Special Area Committee (EBEJSAC) will include Dumka, Godda, Pakur and Jamtara under Santhal Pargana Division of Jharkhand; and Bhagalpur, Banka, Jamui, Lakhisarai and Monghyr in Bihar. This was part of the strategy adopted during the ‘fourth central committee meeting’ held in 2013.

The decline in tactical errors by state Forces was reflected in comparable declines in Maoist violence and strength. Unfortunately, the political situation in Bihar hardly provides a conducive environment to a sustained response to the enduring Maoist challenge in the State. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has often reiterated his position that development will result in a decline in Maoist activities, and this mantra was repeated by Jitan Ram Manjhi, who briefly served as the State’s Chief Minister between 20 May 2014 and 20 February 2015. On June 28, 2014, Manjhi declared that he disagreed with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s position that no talks would be held with the Maoists and that a befitting reply would be given to Maoist attacks: "Theoretically I disagree with what he (Singh) has said. Naxalism cannot be solved with the help of gun. We have to find the underlying reasons behind it. The only solution lies in all-round development of society… Frustration over lack of socio-economic-educational development and employment, as well as unavailability of justice among the weaker sections has led to Naxalism. The answer to it lies only in development." Going a step further, on January 4, 2015, Manjhi stated, at a gathering at Tarapur in Munger District, that Maoists were "not wrong in demanding levy from contractors if quality of work is poor." He also recounted his interaction with three Naxals before he became Chief Minister. According to media reports, Maoists were happy that in the wake of the Aurangabad Police firing on July 19, 2014, [two persons killed], Manjhi effectively intervened and ordered a high-level inquiry into the Police firing. The then Chief Minister also questioned the Police claim that the villagers, who were fired upon by the Police, were, in fact, Maoist sympathisers. Media reports suggest that anti-Maoist operations in the State slowed down considerably after the Aurangabad Police firing and the then Chief Minister’s intervention.

Taking a serious stand on the State Government’s lackadaisical attitude, the UMHA, on June 30, 2014, warned that the Centre could stop allocating substantial funds to the Bihar Government under various schemes for security and development in areas affected by Naxalism if the State Government failed to act in accordance with a uniform national policy against the Maoists.

According to National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB) data, Bihar had 77 Police personnel per 100,000 population, as on December 31, 2013, the worst ratio in the country, and far below the national average of 141. At the request of the State, at least six battalions of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed in the State, though this number is far from what is required to cover the shortfall. On October 1, 2014, the State Government decided to recruit Police Women from the Scheduled Tribes category and deploy them in the Maoist affected zones as part of a ‘two-pronged strategy’ to provide employment to tribal women and check the Maoists. A proposal to this effect was forwarded by Police Headquarters to the State's Home Department, arguing that, since tribal women were hard-working and well-versed with the topography of the difficult terrain, a separate battalion of tribal policewoman should be raised. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by the then Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, approved the proposal, though recruitment is yet to take place. In any event, this is seen more as a gesture to play to the galleries, rather than any serious response to the Maoist insurgency.

Bihar has long been at odds with the Centre on the strategy to counter the Maoist insurgency, and this is unlikely to change till Assembly elections take place in the State late in 2015. With the State currently in the control of an opportunistic alliance between former political rivals, and all focus on the impending elections, it is unlikely that any substantive initiatives to deal with the Maoists are going to go forward.

NEWS BRIEFS

Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia February 23 - March 1, 2015

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

BANGLADESH

Islamist

1

0

0

1

Total (BANGLADESH)

1

0

0

1

INDIA

Jammu and Kashmir

0

0

5

5

Manipur

0

0

2

2

Left-wing Extremism

Bihar

0

2

0

2

Total (INDIA)

0

2

7

9

PAKISTAN

Balochistan

1

2

2

5

KP

1

0

0

1

Sindh

6

0

2

8

PoK

Gilgit-Baltistan

0

0

1

1

PAKISTAN (Total)

8

2

5

15

Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.

BANGLADESH

BNP-JeI clique is carrying out genocide in the name of hartal and blockade, says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed on February 26 said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) clique is carrying out genocide in the name of hartal (general strike) and blockade. She further alleged that a particular quarter is providing necessary finance, training and other support to the BNP-JeI miscreants for committing such heinous acts. The Independent, February 27, 2015.

INDIA

Central Government bans IS and all its manifestations as terrorist organization: The Central Government has notified Islamic State (IS) as a banned terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act (UAPA) of 1967, stating that it is involved in radicalization and recruitment of vulnerable youth from various countries including India. "The Centre is satisfied that the Islamic State (IS)/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish is a terrorist organisation and has decided to add the said organisation and all its manifestations to the First Schedule to the UAPA," the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) said in a notification. Times of India, February 27, 2015.

99 NRIs among terror victims across the world in last three years, says Union Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs V. K. Singh: Government informed the Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian Parliament) on February 25 that as many as 99 Non-Resident Indians (NRI) have become victims of terrorism across the world, including in Iraq, during the last three years. Union Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs V. K. Singh said in a written reply, "As reported by the Indian missions/posts abroad, a total of 86 NRIs in Iraq, 10 NRIs in Kenya and 3 in Yemen have become victims of terrorist activities during the last three years." On proposals to ensure NRIs don't get affected by such incidents, the Minister said necessary advisories are issued to alert them. The Hindu, February 26, 2015.

Pakistan has violated border ceasefire in J&K 685 times during last eight months resulting in death of 24 people, says Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar: Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on February 24 said that Pakistan has violated border ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) 685 times during the last eight months from June 2014 to January 2015, resulting in death of 24 people, including eight Security Force (SF) personnel. He said 126 ceasefire violations took place along the Line of Control (LoC), under operational control of Army, while 559 violations took place along the IB, under operational control of Border Security Force (BSF). Five Army personnel, three BSF personnel and 16 civilians were killed in the incidents. Daily Excelsior,February 25, 2015.

No evidence to suggest LWEs getting external assistance, says Union Minister of State Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary: Union Minister of State in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary while answering in a written reply in Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) on February 24 said there is no evidence/input available to suggest that any international conspiracy is being hatched in any Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) infested areas in the country or any external assistance being provided to LWEs in terms of financial aid and weapons. However, the recovery of arms and ammunition of foreign origin from the LWE cadres in different encounters and operations is an indication of the fact that they are procuring weapons from different sources. Business Standard,February 25, 2015.

Government releases INR 100 million for acquiring land and construction of protective shield all along IB: Official sources in Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) said that the Government has released INR 100 million for acquiring land and construction of protective shield all along the International Border (IB) in Jammu region to save civilians from firing by the Pakistani Rangers and curb infiltration by the militants from across the border. UMHA, which was directly monitoring the project for construction of embankment along the IB covering all three Districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua along the borders, has released the money as first installment for acquiring land from the people for construction purposes. Daily Excelsior, February 24, 2015.

Maoists plan attack on Government institutions in Kerala, say State Government: The State Government on February 26 informed the Kerala High Court that the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) had plans to attack Government institutions and individuals through its Urban Action Team. The State Government made the submission when petitions by Jaison C. Cooper of Fort Kochi and advocate Thushar Nirmal Sarathi of Palakkad seeking bail in a case registered against them under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for their alleged links with Maoists came up for hearing. The Hindu, February 27, 2015.

ISI is preventing militants of Tripura from joining the mainstream, says Tripura CM Manik Sarkar: The Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's external intelligence agency, is preventing militants of Tripura from joining the mainstream. Tripura Chief Minister (CM) Manik Sarkar on February 27 stated, "The Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), of Pakistan, is preventing militants of Tripura, who still have 20 camps in Bangladesh, from joining the mainstream. Security Forces (SFs) in Bangladesh have recently arrested an ISI spy who was instrumental in foiling the attempt of the militants to surrender". He also alleged that militant outfits of Tripura are trying to influence the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) election scheduled in April. Times of India, February 28, 2015.

No talks with any more militant groups, says Government of India: Government of India has closed its doors for talks with any more militant outfits and the ongoing process of talks with militant groups, which have already signed cease-fire pacts to solve their problems through discussions, will be expedited so that those are taken to a logical conclusion as soon as possible. Sources in Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) made it clear that the Government was not keen on starting talks with any more militant outfit as enough opportunity was given to them to shun violence and solve their problems through discussions. Nagaland Post, February 27, 2015.

NEPAL

30,000 protesters staged demonstration over constitution: On February 28, around 30,000 protesters staged a demonstration during a rally organized by the 30-party alliance of the opposition parties to demand that political parties reach a consensus on a new constitution. Police lobbed teargas shells and used cane batons to stop demonstrators from advancing to the parliament building, leaving more than a dozen people injured, witnesses said. Chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda addressing the protestors said, "I am ready to die but will not give up the fight for the rights of the people."

On March 1, Dahal said the opposition parties were ready to sit for talks if the ruling parties ensured the environment to promulgate the new constitution on the basis of a political consensus Reuters,February 28, 2015; MyRepublica, March 1, 2015.

'Attempts on to repeal CPA', claims UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal: Chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said on February 27 that Nepali Congress (NC) and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) are attempting to repeal the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and push the country towards a serious crisis. "NC and UML are backtracking from the previous agreement they do not have such rights," Dahal said, and urged the ruling parties to clarify their position on the peace deal and other past agreements. eKantipur, February 27, 2015.

PAKISTAN

LeT key irritant in Pakistan-India relations, says US Intelligence Official James Clapper: Pakistan's provision of safe havens to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) will continue to be a key irritant in relations with India, Director of United States (US) National Intelligence James Clapper claimed in his testimony on "World Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community". He was presenting the report in a hearing of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee on February 26. Tribune, February 28, 2015.

LeJ mounting attacks to stop hangings, says Federal Ministry of Interior: The Federal Ministry of Interior on February 25 said that Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) was carrying out terrorist activities across the country to get the hangings of its leaders and workers stopped and to secure their release or help them escape. According to the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) threat alert issued to the Provinces, militant groups like the LeJ and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) may jointly carry out terrorist activities. According to a private television channel, the cell has dispatched a letter (threat alert) to the home secretaries of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Provincial Police Chiefs, the Inspector General (IG) Frontier Corps (FC) of KP and Balochistan and authorities in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Gilgit Baltistan region. The News, February 26, 2015.

Afghanistan must share power with Taliban to block Indian influence to restore peace, says former President General (retired) Pervez Musharraf: Former President General (retired) Pervez Musharraf in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on February 25 said that Kabul must share power with the extremist group Taliban and block Indian influence if it wants peace in the country. He said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's September inauguration presented a new opportunity for reconciliation between the Government and Taliban and related insurgent groups. Dawn, February 26, 2015.

The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news brief on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region.